Three of a Perfect Pair cover

Three of a Perfect Pair

Released

The third entry in King Crimson’s early-1980s trilogy and the last album made by the Fripp-Belew-Levin-Bruford configuration feels more willfully opaque than the first two, and more sonically compressed. The title track is a romantic lament, mixed densely and claustrophobically; “Sleepless” feels desperate, while “Industry” is a clattery, grinding tone poem. “Man with an Open Heart” is the closest thing to a pop song here, but it’s a cry of despair. This is objectively excellent music, but not as enjoyable a listen as either Discipline or Beat, the first two albums recorded by this manifestation of the band.

Rick Anderson

Recommended by

Suggestions
Charles Wuorinen: Metagong cover

Charles Wuorinen: Metagong

George Nickson, Mark Steinberg, New York New Music Ensemble
Oceans Eat Cities cover

Oceans Eat Cities

Neil Rolnick, Voxare String Quartet, Jennifer Choi Fischer, Kathleen Supove
Unbegrenzt cover

Unbegrenzt

Catherine Christer Hennix
Lucus cover

Lucus

Time Is A Blind Guide, Thomas Strønen